The present invention relates to a support shelf and, more particularly, to an adjustable shelf for being releasably mounted on appliances, such as washers and dryers, for the purpose of storing articles of clothing and washing and drying agents.
When using clothes washers and dryers it is highly advantageous to have a co-located spot to store cleaning agents and to temporarily place clothing. Washers and dryers presently available for home and business use do not provide an adequate surface on which to place clothing or other articles when the washer and dryer are being used. In addition, washers and dryers are frequently placed in restricted places not affording suitable surfaces for storing articles. As such, users often store washing and drying agents on top of the washer/dryer control panel, a surface not designed for storing articles. This leads to the agents falling from their storage place, resulting in spillage.
There is frequently found, however, unused space just above the washers and dryers that could be utilized for storage if suitable shelving were available. However, to date, this area has only been occupied by permanent shelving which is mounted to the wall adjacent to the rear of the washer and dryer. Such shelving is difficult to install and relatively expensive.
Accordingly, there is a need for shelves which could be easily and directly mounted on washers and dryers after the washers and dryers have been installed in the home. Similarly, it would be advantageous if the shelving and/or the washers and dryers included a simple releasable interlocking mechanism for mounting the shelving on the washer or dryer. It would be further advantageous if manufacturers incorporated shelving directly into the washer and dryer design.
The present invention resulted from the inventor's observation of problems associated with the use of washers and dryers and his successful efforts to solve them. The present invention, therefore, is directed toward providing a shelf system which can be installed by a homeowner or a business person on a washer or dryer, or any other appliance having similar characteristics, with a minimum of effort or skill regardless of whether or not the appliance has been specifically designed to accept a shelving system. The invention also includes, within its scope, the ability to interconnect with appliances which have been specifically adapted to the shelving system by means of special purpose interlocking features. The invention furthermore includes within its scope, a design which can be readily incorporated into existing washer and dryer designs at the time of manufacture. The present invention fulfills a long felt need in the art by overcoming the aforementioned disadvantage of currently available appliances and provides other advantages as set forth below.